The present invention relates to a device for tensioning a fabric of a tent comprising a tensioning device, a corner protection device as well as a fastening element according to claim 1.
A tent is usually understood to be a temporary, simple and preferably portable construction comprising a framework of poles and a roof placed above it. Today, aluminum poles are mainly used for the framework of poles, but other metal and plastic materials or wood can also be used.
In recent times, so-called folding tents, which are also referred to as quick pitch tents, have become more and more important. Their advantage lies in the fact that they are mainly delivered with the roof already assembled, that it is not necessary to dismantle the roof when setting up and taking down the folding tent, and that the setting up and dismantling can usually also be carried out without tools.
Such folding tents are folded in the delivery state. When the tent is set up, a structure opens up as a result of the tent being pulled apart, and the pre-assembled roof is tensioned automatically. For this purpose, the supports of the tent are connected to a roof structure having the shape of a scissor-type grid, which enables the tent to be pulled apart when being set up.
Regardless of the respective configuration of a tent, the tent roof usually rests on the ends of the supports that are at the top in the set-up state and spans them. The tent roof often ends with a screen running around the upper areas of the supporting structure. A synonym for the term “screen” is, for example, “valance” and is also covered by the present invention.
The connection between the tent roof and the supporting structure is usually tight when the tent is new, which leads to the desired tensioned state of the tent roof. On the other hand, the tensioned state of the connection between the tent roof and the supporting structure often leads to permanent friction of the tent roof fabric on this supporting structure, which can be accompanied by damage and even tearing of the fabric, in particular at these contact points after prolonged use.
On the other hand, it should be noted that the fabric of the tent roof expands when the tent is set up for a longer period of time, for example due to weather conditions or fatigue of material, and thus no longer fits accurately on the supporting structure of the tent. As a consequence, the tent roof itself does no longer maintain the desired smooth, tensioned state, but is loose, wavy and generally no longer well-fitting. This has not only visual disadvantages, but also disadvantages in terms of effect, since, for example, the wind is more easily caught in it and both the tent roof fabric and the supporting structure are thus subjected to additional loads.
In order to protect the tent roof fabric from friction or to protect the screen of a tent from getting caught in the supporting structure of the tent in the folded and in the extended state, a corner protection device has been proposed according to the German utility model DE 20 2004 016 428 U1, which is arranged on the part of the supports of the tent that is at the top of these supports in the set-up state and which leaves a gap open between itself and this support, into which the screen of the fabric of the tent roof is inserted and fastened in a manner described in more detail below.
With this device known from the state of the art, however, it is not possible to ensure a permanent tension of the tent roof in the set-up state of the tent if, in the course of time or in the course of use of the tent, an expansion of the fabric occurs, for example due to material fatigue.
There are indeed numerous efforts in the state of the art to tension fabrics permanently in the most diverse fields of application. Such efforts take place on a large scale in the field of manufacturing folding tops for convertible cars. Highly complex constructions have been developed for this purpose, as are described, for example, in EP 1 314 601 B1, but all of them are limited to these specific fields of application and cannot be transferred to other fields.
Based on these drawbacks of the state of the art, the technical problem is therefore to provide a device for tents which, on the one hand, protects the fabric of the tent roof in the set-up state from damage due to friction.
In addition, a device is to be developed which allows a visually and functionally good fit of the tent roof on the supporting structure of the tent.
Furthermore, the device should allow a perfect fit of the tent roof on the supporting structure to be maintained for the entire duration of use.
In addition, this device should comprise a simple construction that can be manufactured in a cost-effective manner. The construction should be made of a few parts and therefore be lightweight.
Furthermore, the device should be configured in such a manner that it is suitable for folding tents, i.e. it is already integrated in the delivery state after manufacture so that no further handling steps or assembly steps on the part of the user are necessary.
In addition, the device should be suitable for all types of tents.
These problems are solved with a device according to claims 1, 20, 21. Advantageous embodiments are included in the sub-claims.